Decatur County

Population size

• Total population: ~29,100 (July 1, 2023 estimate, U.S. Census Bureau PEP)

Age

• Median age: ~39–40 years
• Under 18: ~25%
• 18–64: ~58–59%
• 65 and over: ~16–17%

Gender

• Female: ~51–52%
• Male: ~48–49%

Race and ethnicity (alone or in combination; Hispanic is of any race)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~50–52%
• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~40–42%
• Hispanic/Latino: ~4–6%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, and other races: ~1–2% combined

Households

• Total households: ~11,000–11,500
• Average household size: ~2.6
• Family households: ~66–68% of households
• Married-couple families: ~42–45% of households
• Female householder, no spouse present: ~18–20%
• Households with children under 18: ~28–30%
• Nonfamily households: ~32–34%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~62–66%

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (PEP), County Population Totals, July 1, 2023.
• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2019–2023 5-year estimates: DP05 (Demographic and Housing Estimates), S0101 (Age/Sex), S1101 (Households and Families), DP04 (Selected Housing Characteristics).

Note: ACS figures are estimates and subject to margins of error; ranges above reflect typical ACS variability for a county this size.

Decatur County, GA snapshot (estimates)

• Population/context: 30,000 residents; low-density rural area (45–50 people per sq. mile), Bainbridge is the hub.
• Estimated email users: 21,000–23,000 residents (about 90% of adults; limited use among younger children).

Age profile of users (approx.):

• 18–34: 95–98% use email → ~5.8–6.0k users
• 35–54: 92–95% → ~7.2–7.5k
• 55–64: 85–90% → ~3.0–3.3k
• 65+: 75–85% → ~4.3–4.9k
• Teens (13–17): 70–85% → ~1.2–1.5k

Gender split:

• Near parity; slight female majority (~51%) mirrors county population.

Digital access trends:

• Roughly 70–75% of households subscribe to fixed broadband; an additional 10–15% are smartphone‑only for internet access.
• Best fixed speeds/coverage in Bainbridge; rural tracts rely more on DSL/fixed‑wireless and face some service gaps.
• 4G/5G coverage is strongest along US‑27/US‑84 corridors; weaker in sparsely populated areas.
• Public Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools) remains important for access.

Notes: Figures are derived by applying ACS rural‑Georgia internet subscription rates and national email adoption benchmarks (by age) to Decatur County’s population.

Below is a concise, data-informed overview of mobile phone usage in Decatur County, Georgia, with estimates, demographic context, and infrastructure notes. Figures are approximate and synthesized from 2020–2023 Census/ACS demographics, Pew Research mobile adoption benchmarks, and rural Georgia broadband patterns.

Headline takeaways versus Georgia overall

• Slightly lower smartphone penetration, driven by an older age mix and lower incomes than the state average.
• Higher reliance on smartphones as the primary way to get online (smartphone-only households), tied to patchier fixed broadband.
• More prepaid/MVNO usage and stronger 4G dependence; 5G mid-band coverage is spottier than in Georgia’s metro areas.

User estimates

• Population context: ~29–30k residents; roughly 22–23k adults (18+).
• Adult smartphone users: ~18–20k (about 80–85% of adults, versus roughly 88–90% in Georgia overall).
• Teen users: ~1.7–2.0k teens (13–17) with smartphones (≈90–95% adoption, near state levels).
• Total mobile phone users (all ages, smartphone + basic phone): ~21–23k residents, or about 70–77% of the total population (a few points lower than state-level).
• Smartphone-only internet households: estimated 18–22% in the county (versus roughly low-to-mid teens statewide), reflecting fewer cable/fiber options outside Bainbridge and small towns.

Demographic breakdown (how usage differs from state trends)

• Age
  • Decatur County has a larger share of adults 65+ than Georgia overall; smartphone adoption among 65+ remains meaningfully lower than younger groups despite gains since 2020. This pulls down county-wide adoption relative to the state.
  • Teens and young adults mirror statewide smartphone saturation; gaps are concentrated among older adults.
• Income and education
  • Median household income is below the Georgia average; cost sensitivity increases prepaid/MVNO plan use and the likelihood of smartphone-only access for home internet.
  • Lower fixed-broadband availability in some census blocks amplifies mobile hotspot use for homework/job searches, a pattern less common in metro Georgia.
• Race/ethnicity
  • The county’s sizable Black population and growing Hispanic population track national patterns: very high smartphone ownership, but higher odds of smartphone-only internet due to affordability and service availability constraints. This contributes to the county’s above-average smartphone-only rate versus the state.
• Work patterns
  • A larger share of agriculture, manufacturing, and service employment means less routine telework than in metro Georgia; mobile data use often centers on messaging, navigation, social media, short-form video, and utility apps, with hotspots bridging homework and training needs where home broadband is weak.

Digital infrastructure points

• Coverage and technology mix
  • 4G LTE is the day-to-day workhorse countywide. 5G is present but is predominantly low-band outdoors and clustered in/around Bainbridge and along major corridors (e.g., US‑84/US‑27). Mid-band 5G (capacity/speed) is less consistent than in Atlanta, Augusta, Savannah, and Columbus.
  • Practical effect: Speeds and indoor coverage vary more outside town centers; time-of-day congestion is more noticeable than in metro Georgia.
• Carriers and bands
  • AT&T and Verizon generally provide the broadest rural footprints; AT&T’s FirstNet Band 14 helps public safety and can improve rural coverage. T‑Mobile has expanded low-band 5G, with the best performance nearest towns and highways.
• Tower density and terrain
  • Fewer macro sites per square mile than metro counties; tree cover, river/湖front (Flint River/Lake Seminole), and low-lying areas create pocket dead zones and weaker indoor signal in some communities.
• Backhaul and capacity
  • Capacity upgrades trail urban Georgia: fewer sites with fiber backhaul and mid-band 5G means higher reliance on 4G and low-band 5G, with lower peak speeds and more variable performance.
• Fixed broadband context (why mobile matters more here)
  • Cable/fiber availability is strongest in Bainbridge; outside town, DSL, fixed wireless, or nothing at all is more common than in the state overall. This raises smartphone-only dependence and hotspot use.
  • Ongoing state/federal investments (e.g., BEAD and other rural fiber builds) are expected to reduce these gaps through 2026–2028, which should gradually shift some smartphone-only households to fixed broadband.
• Public and anchor connectivity
  • Schools, libraries, and government sites are key Wi‑Fi anchors; parking-lot/after-hours Wi‑Fi use remains higher than in metro areas, a signal of continued home-access gaps.

What this means in practice

• Compared with Georgia overall, Decatur County residents are more likely to rely on mobile as their primary or backup internet, more likely to use prepaid/MVNO plans, and more exposed to speed/coverage variability.
• The biggest deltas with the state are among older adults (lower smartphone uptake) and households outside Bainbridge (higher smartphone-only reliance).
• As rural fiber expands, expect a gradual decrease in smartphone-only households and a shift toward using mobile primarily for on-the-go needs, aligning the county more closely with state norms—but the 4G-first reality will persist until mid-band 5G and backhaul density improve.

Decatur County, GA social media snapshot (2025)

Topline user stats (estimates)

• Population: ~30,000; residents 13+: ~25,000
• Social media users (13+): 19,000–21,000 (75–82%)
• Daily users: 16,000–18,000 (65–72%)
• Broadband households: ~72–78%; smartphone adoption among adults: ~80–85%

Most-used platforms among residents 13+ (share of residents; daily use in parentheses)

• YouTube: 75–80% (60–65%)
• Facebook: 60–65% (45–50%)
• Instagram: 35–40% (25–30%)
• TikTok: 28–35% (22–28%)
• Snapchat: 20–25% (teens/20s heavy)
• Pinterest: 25–30% (women 25–54 skew)
• X (Twitter): 12–15% (male/news/sports skew)
• LinkedIn: 12–15% (smaller professional base)
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger 55–60%; WhatsApp 10–15% (notably among Hispanic/Latino users)

Age mix and tendencies

• 13–17 (~6–8% of population): YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram dominate; limited Facebook
• 18–29 (15–18%): Heavy Instagram/TikTok/Snap; use FB Groups/Events for jobs, rentals, events
• 30–49 (25–28%): Facebook strongest; YouTube high; moderate IG/TikTok; Marketplace, school/church groups
• 50–64 (20–22%): Facebook and YouTube; local news, gov, health info
• 65+ (18–20%): Facebook (family/church) and YouTube; low on newer apps

Gender breakdown (among social users)

• Women: ~53–55%
• Men: ~45–47%
• Non-binary/other: <1%
• Platform skews: Women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; men on YouTube and X; TikTok/Snapchat relatively balanced among teens/20s

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first: Facebook Groups and local buy/sell/trade pages drive discovery; recommendations and word-of-mouth outperform brand posts
• Marketplace-centric: Facebook Marketplace is a primary local commerce channel; DM-to-purchase is common
• Short video surge: Reels/Shorts/TikTok outperform static posts for restaurants, events, real estate, and high school sports
• Timing: Peak engagement 7–9 AM, 12–1 PM, and 7–10 PM; Thursday–Friday evenings spike with school sports; weather/outage days see surges
• Content that works: Plain-language updates, faces-to-camera, behind-the-scenes, community spotlights; polished ads underperform without a local hook
• Info needs: Weather alerts, school closings, outages, roadwork, and event reminders get strong shares
• Ads: Best results with tight geo-targeting around Bainbridge (10–20 miles), message/call CTAs, and limited-time offers; older demos lean Facebook, younger demos lean Instagram/TikTok
• Messaging norms: Facebook Messenger is the default contact channel; quick replies (<1 hour in business hours) boost conversions
• Language/culture: Bilingual English/Spanish posts extend reach; family- and church-centered themes resonate

Notes on method: County-level platform data isn’t publicly reported; figures are directional estimates based on ACS population, rural-Georgia broadband patterns, and recent Pew Research social media usage by age/gender.